Humanity is a whole, the earth is a home, and global challenges require global responses

Ina Stašević from Croatia, Europe:

The world is progressing and developing in great strides every year, so it seems that the civilization of our time, especially the 21st century, is taking on both utopian and dystopian outlines. In this and such a context, the world, globally and locally, is becoming an increasingly dangerous place to live. We witness every day many unilateral pressures, blackmail and threats, hatred, discrimination, prejudice, and entering into risky situations.

In today's modern world, confrontation and conflict should not be options, but peace, development, inclusiveness and openness should be the dominant themes of today. However, this mostly remains a theory that practice denies every day...

One aspect is particularly important and significant. Massive demonstrations of military power around the world, spectacular parades not only demonstrate the strength of a country but also point to the complexity of the current geopolitical and geostrategic "games of thrones", especially between the largest and most powerful ones such as the USA, the EU, Great Britain, Russia, China and India, but also those smaller and less powerful ones that are trying to catch up in the current arms race.

Column after column of combat vehicles, swarms of helicopters and other aircraft at military parades in New Delhi (January 26), Moscow (May 9), Washington (June 14), Great Britain (June 28), Croatia (July 31), and we expect a military parade in Beijing on September 3. In this way, states demonstrate their equipment with military equipment and their combat capabilities to launch a series of large-scale military operations or to deter opponents from them. For many it is such a parade of power is also a propaganda tool with the aim of intimidation and pressure on other countries to give in to some demands or to they give up before the war conflict.

The main messages of such demonstrations of power are, on the one hand, peaceful, and on the other, potentially warlike so everything together reminds again of the time of the cold war, when there was a balance of opposing blocs (West vs. USSR) was also a guarantor as much stability and ultimately peace, which, at least in Europe, after the tragedy of the Second World War lasted for seventy years.

But for this occasion, we are going beyond Europe, to Asia, specifically to the People's Republic of China, and the occasion is the celebration of Army Day. Long-lasting peace and stability have enabled the current Chinese President Xi Jinping to begin to realize a series of grand visions such as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative. Emphasizing that peace enables development, that peace is the key to solving all problems, and security is a prerequisite for national development. Therefore, Xi often calls on all political factions and leaders in the world to put aside their differences and emphasizes on development efforts, believing that success comes through overcoming difficulties exclusively through dialogue.

Everyone is spending, Trump is rubbing his hands

The US remains the world's largest spender of military funds, with a record budget for armaments and defence. Both Russia and China have continued to increase their defence budgets, with Russian spending estimated at 9% of GDP and Chinese spending at 7.2%. EU member states have also increased their defence spending, and the recent agreement at the NATO summit in The Hague is Donald Trump's water mill, considering that the Alliance members had to agree to 5% of NATO spending in the future.

There are many factors that influence military spending, and at least three of the key ones should be highlighted. First of all, geopolitical instability and the current conflict in Ukraine and other regional conflicts are the main drivers of the increase in defence spending. Then there are the demands for modernization of military equipment and defence capabilities, including investments in new technologies and infrastructure. Of no less importance are economic factors. As defense spending increases, discussions are taking place about economic trade-offs and potential impacts on other budget areas.

According to data from the World Bank Group (taken from the Armaments Yearbook, Disarmament and International Security, Stockholm International Peace Agreement Research Institute - SIPRI) share of spending for the development of the armed forces has been decreasing since the 1960s (Cold War period) from 6% of GDP to 2.4% in 2023. In recent years, the global military spending increased significantly, with the largest increase since the end of the Cold War.

In the past year, there has been a larger increase in the share of military spending in GDP in some countries, and it seems that this trend will continue in the years ahead.

Share of GDP spent on military: Eritrea 20.9%, Ukraine 37.6%, Russia 9%, China 7.2%, Azerbaijan 4.6%, Poland 3.8%, Israel 3.3%, Serbia 2.9%, India 2.4%, United Kingdom 2.3%, France 2.1%, Croatia 1.8%, Portugal and Spain 1.5%, Canada 1.3%, South Africa 0.7%.